REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION Date: July 15, 2019 Item No.: 7.d Department Approval City Manager Approval Item Description: Review 2020 Changes in Property Tax Base, Legislative Changes, and Other Budgetary Impacts 1 BACKGROUND 2 At the April 8, 2019 City Council meeting, the Council established a general timeline for the 2020 budget 3 process including the following key dates: 4 2020 Budget Process Timeline Date Discussion on 2019-2020 City Council Priorities 2/25/2019 Discussion on Preliminary Cash Reserve Levels 3/18/2019 Establish 2020 Budget Process Calendar 4/8/2019 Review General Budget & Legislative Impacts, Tax Base Changes 7/15/2019 Presentation of the 2020-2039 Capital Improvement Plan 7/15/2019 Discussion on City Council Budgetary Goals 7/15/2019 EDA Budget & Tax Levy Discussion 7/15/2019 Receive the 2020 City Manager Recommended Budget 8/12/2019 Receive Budget Recommendations from the Finance Commission 9/16/2019 Adopt Preliminary 2020 Budget, Tax Levy, & EDA Levy 9/23/2019 Review 2020 Proposed Utility Rates 11/4/2019 Review 2020 Fee Schedule 11/4/2019 Final Budget Hearing (Truth-in-Taxation Hearing) 11/25/2019 Adopt Final 2020 EDA Tax Levy 12/2/2019 Adopt Final 2020 Budget, Tax Levy, Utility Rates, & Fee Schedule 12/2/2019 5 6 7 The next step in the 2020 Budget Process is to review the general budgetary impacts resulting from 8 changes in the City’s property values, the 2019 Legislative Session, and other contributing factors. They 9 are discussed in separate sections below. 10 11 Page 1 of 3 12 Impacts Due to Changes in Property Values & Tax Base 13 The Ramsey County Assessor’s Office released its annual Report on Assessed Market Valuations on 14 March 20, 2019. A copy of the report is included in Attachment A. Highlights of the Report include: 15 16 . Roseville’s overall market value (tax base) is projected to increase 4.4% (see page 15) 17 . The median-valued, single-family home is projected to increase 6.7%; from $254,900 to $272,000 18 (see page 17) 19 20 In the aggregate, the market value for the median single-family home rose faster (6.7%) than all other 21 property types combined (4.4%). This means that holding all other factors constant, there will be a shift 22 in the overall tax burden to single-family homeowners in 2020. A similar effect occurred last year, while 23 the tax burden shifted in the opposite direction for taxes payable in 2018. 24 25 For example, a 2020 tax levy increase of 5.0% will result in an estimated 8.0% tax increase on the median- 26 valued single-family home. 27 28 Budgetary Impacts from the 2019 Legislative Session 29 The 2019 Legislative Session ended after the conclusion of the Regular Session on May 20, 2019 30 accompanied by a one-day Special Session on May 25, 2019. 31 32 Based on information provided by the League of MN Cities and Metro Cities, there appears to be only 33 two changes that will have a direct impact on the City’s 2020 Budget. The first includes the continuation 34 of a phased-in increase in the Police & Fire PERA employer contribution requirements. The current rate 35 of 16.95% of earnings will be raised to $17.70% - with an estimated annual impact of $45,000. The 36 employee contribution rate also increased. 37 38 The second change involved a $1 agent fee increase for each vehicle-related transaction that we process 39 at the License Center. Based on recent transaction volumes, this would result in an additional $100,000 40 in revenues in 2020. However, agent fees for other transaction types remained unchanged and therefore 41 will only garner additional revenues through increased transaction totals. Inflationary-type costs at the 42 License Center are expected to be around $90,000. 43 44 There was much discussion regarding a new Local Government Aid (LGA) formula and an overall 45 funding increase. In the end, the City will be holding onto its current allotment of $78,000 annually. 46 These monies are current deposited into the City’s facility-related CIP. 47 48 The Legislature did approve a $13 million funding package for deputy registrar agents for the 49 reimbursement of excess costs associated with the 2017 rollout of the State’s new licensing and 50 registration system. Our reimbursement is approximately $281,000 and will be restricted for use with the 51 city’s license center function. 52 53 Finally, there were a number of other legislative pieces covering new funding for housing, economic 54 development, infrastructure, and other programs that may be accessible to the City. However, these may 55 not necessarily have an immediate or direct budgetary impact in 2020. A copy of the 2020 Law 56 Summaries as prepared by the League of MN Cities is included in Attachment B. The document provides 57 an excellent re-cap of the Session including a list of proposed legislation that did not become law. 58 59 Page 2 of 3 60 Budgetary Impacts from Other Considerations 61 In prior years, we have used this opportunity to provide a summary of the potential financial impacts of 62 maintaining programs and services. This includes impacts associated with employee COLA’s and wage 63 steps, contractual obligations & professional services, and general inflationary costs. For 2020 it also 64 includes the need to fully eliminate our repeated use of General Fund reserves to balance the budget. 65 66 Based on current projections, we expect nearly $600,000 in added expenditures in our property tax- 67 supported programs. This includes employee COLA’s, healthcare increases, and other inflationary-type 68 factors. We also need to wean ourselves off the continued use of $340,805 in cash reserves to balance the 69 General Fund budget. 70 71 When coupled together, these impacts would result in a tax levy increase of approximately $940,000 or 72 4.4%. This increase does not factor in any new expenditures proposed as part of the 2020 budget. In other 73 words, simply maintaining existing staff and service levels is projected to cost an additional $5.65 per 74 month for the typical single-family home. The impact on homeowners is larger than the levy increase due 75 to changing property values. 76 77 In addition to the tax levy impacts depicted above, continued emphasis on our water, sanitary sewer, and 78 storm sewer infrastructure replacement programs is expected to drive utility rate increases for 2020 as 79 well. More specific information regarding budgetary impacts will be addressed with the release of the 80 2020 City Manager Recommended Budget on August 12, 2019. 81 POLICY OBJECTIVE 82 Not applicable. 83 FINANCIAL IMPACTS 84 Not applicable. 85 STAFF RECOMMENDATION 86 Not applicable. 87 REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION 88 For information purposes only. No formal Council action is requested, however Staff is seeking comment 89 and guidance on the preperation of the 2020 Budget. 90 Prepared by: Chris Miller, Finance Director Attachments: A: Ramsey County Assessor’s Office 2019 Assessed Market Value Report B: 2019 Law Summaries from the League of MN Cities 91 Page 3 of 3 Attachment A Ramsey County Assessor’s Report 2019 This report includes preliminary estimated market values for the 2019 assessment, taxes payable in 2020. Value estimates are subject to review and change until the conclusion of the Special Board of Appeal and Equalization in mid‐June 2019. Attachment A 2019 Ramsey County Assessor’s Report Table of Contents Market Summary.………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...3 Estimated Market Value Totals……………………………………………………………………………………………...…..…….....6 Total Countywide Estimated and Taxable Value vs. Median Residential Value Trends…….…..……….…..….7 Ramsey County Residential Median Property Value Trends………………………………………….……………………...8 Ramsey County Apartment Median Property Value Trends..………………………………………………………………..9 Ramsey County Commercial/Industrial Median Property Value Trends……………………………………………...10 Residential Property Median Estimated Market Value % Change Map……………………………..…….…….…...11 Single‐Family Residential Property Median Estimated Market Value % Change Map…………..…..………...12 Apartment Property Median Estimated Market Value % Change Map………………………………………………..13 Commercial/Industrial Property Median Estimated Market Value % Change Map……………...………..…...14 Ramsey County Breakdown of Estimated Market Value (less Added Improvement)……………………………15 Median Estimated Market Value of Residential…………………………………………………………………………………..16 Median Estimated Market Value of Single‐Family Homes.……………………………..……………………………..…...17 Median Estimated Market Value of Apartments…………………………………………………………………………...……18 Median Estimated Market Value of Commercial/Industrial Property ………………………………..……………....19 EMV Percent Changes (Single Family ‐ Ramsey County).…………………..…………..……………….….…………….…20 EMV Percent Changes (Single Family ‐ City of Saint Paul).……………..………………………………….…….….……...21 EMV Percent Changes (Single Family ‐ Suburban Ramsey County).………..……………………....………..………..22 Apartment Growth Rates (Ramsey County)..……..………………………………………………………………...……..……..23 Apartment Growth Rates (City of Saint Paul).…………………..…..……………....………………………….……….……...24 Apartment Growth Rates (Suburban Ramsey County).………………..………………………………………………..…...25 Commercial/Industrial Growth Rates (Ramsey County).………..……………………………………….…………………..26 Commercial/Industrial Growth Rates (City of Saint Paul).………..…..…….............................................…...27 Commercial/Industrial Growth Rates (Suburban Ramsey County)…...…………………………………………….…..28 Change In Assessed Value from Previous Assessment High Point (2007 Assessment)…….………..………...29 Change In Assessed